Person

Person Name Christensen, Willam
Gender Male
Cultural Identity American
Country(ies) of Residence United States
Birth Date 1902
Death Date 2001
Dates Active Unknown
Genre Specialization(s) Ballet
Performing Art Group Affiliations Christensen Brothers, San Francisco Ballet
Institutional Affiliations San Francisco War Memorial Opera House
Reference(s) Encyclopedia Britannica
Notes From a family of dancers, the Christensen brothers (Lew, Harold, and Willam) began performing professionally in vaudeville in the late 1920s and early 30s, then moved quickly into ballet. They worked with a variety of dance greats, including Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine, in a number of companies. They also worked as choreographers and teachers; Lew alone choreographed over 70 pieces. The brothers founded the San Francisco Ballet, and Willam directed it from 1938-1951, as did Lew from 1951-1984. Willam founded the Utah Ballet (later Ballet West) in 1952. SFPALM

Associated Items

Associated Productions 1944Dec24, San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco Ballet, Nutcracker, The
Representations of person in performance 1003948
Representations of person in components 1003955